Calorifier leak

[Scholar Gypsy]

A bit of antifreeze in the cabin bilge yesterday - that was a first. Eventually tracked it down to this connector which had worked (slightly) loose after 29 years. I think I will replace the right angle thingies (I think they are standard 3/4" threads, to 15mm pushit), or at least have some spares on board in case there is a problem.  Next task is to find them online.   Is there a case for replacing with flexible hoses?  Many thanks for any thoughts.

  

[magnetman]

Flexible hoses do seem a possibility.

 

Not sure they would come round in such a tight radius so if the space is very limited it might not work. 

 

https://www.toolstation.com/pushfit-tap-connector/p80338

 

 

 

 

[Tracy D'arth]

Look to be Hep2O 1/2"  x 15mm bent tap connectors.  They are not 3/4" BSP threads but  1/2" BSP which measure almost 3/4" outside diameter.  They have a fibre washer to seal the tap connector end.

[BEngo]

I think the right angle thingy is a cap and lining fitting, with a fibre washer as seal,  hidden  by the brass nut.  It is hard to scale on my phone but it looks more like  1/2 inch than 3/4.

 

Look online for a right angle tap connector.

 

I don't think you will gain from flexible except that they might be easier to find.  They tend to be smaller than nominal diameter so a 1/2 in  tap connector is often only 10mm bore.  This will affect cauliflower circulation.

 

PS if you just replace the fibre washer after giving fitting and tank thread  a good clean up I expect that will fix the problem long term.

 

Washers are available in the DIY sheds or from a builders merchant like Jewson.  Maybe even Srewfix.

 

N

 

 

Edited March 23, 2023 by BEngo

[Tracy D'arth]

They just need a new fibre washer!   Pennies from a plumbers merchant.

Forget flex hoses, they will not last on a the primary circulation due to the temperatures and they are restricted bore too.

[Scholar Gypsy]

Thanks all. I always struggle with thread sizes. The OD (measured with calipers) was 20.5mm which is 0.81 inches. 

[Tracy D'arth]

2 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Thanks all. I always struggle with thread sizes. The OD (measured with calipers) was 20.5mm which is 0.81 inches. 

Yep, 1/2" BSP.

[David Mack]

3 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Thanks all. I always struggle with thread sizes. The OD (measured with calipers) was 20.5mm which is 0.81 inches. 

There's a useful table of bsp thread dimensions at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Standard_Pipe

[Scholar Gypsy]

2 minutes ago, David Mack said:

There's a useful table of bsp thread dimensions at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Standard_Pipe

Thanks! As someone said, standards are a good idea, that's why there are so many of them.  Still, my last excursion in this area was a success, getting the right size for a replacement oil pressure sensor. 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

1 hour ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Thanks! As someone said, standards are a good idea, that's why there are so many of them.  Still, my last excursion in this area was a success, getting the right size for a replacement oil pressure sensor. 

British Standard Pipe sizes not matching any size you can actually measure on a fitting comes from the same country that thought that 16 ounces should be in a pound and 240 pennies, or 20 shillings should also be in a pound.

[Slim]

8 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

British Standard Pipe sizes not matching any size you can actually measure on a fitting comes from the same country that thought that 16 ounces should be in a pound and 240 pennies, or 20 shillings should also be in a pound.

And there's me thinking that was what Brexit was all about😇

Sorry, I'll leave the room!

[Tracy D'arth]

1 hour ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

British Standard Pipe sizes not matching any size you can actually measure on a fitting comes from the same country that thought that 16 ounces should be in a pound and 240 pennies, or 20 shillings should also be in a pound.

The BSP sizes are the bore size of iron steam pipe in inches.  That is why they appear to be wrong if you measure the OD of the pipe and thread.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

6 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

The BSP sizes are the bore size of iron steam pipe in inches.  That is why they appear to be wrong if you measure the OD of the pipe and thread.

I know. Most people, including plumbers, don't buy iron steam pipes often now. I believe they have even been dropped from the inflation calculation basket of typical items, along with whalebone corset stays, arsenic rat poison and Reckitt's Blue. 😀

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

British Standard Pipe sizes not matching any size you can actually measure on a fitting comes from the same country that thought that 16 ounces should be in a pound and 240 pennies, or 20 shillings should also be in a pound.

 

And also decided to call the bit of canal between the locks a 'pound' **

 

 

**Shortened from 'Impounded' referring to the water trapped between the locks

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, Tracy D'arth said:

The BSP sizes are the bore size of iron steam pipe in inches.  That is why they appear to be wrong if you measure the OD of the pipe and thread.

But when the sizes were defined, pipe wall thicknesses were greater than they are now. So if you buy 1/2" bsp iron pipe today, the bore is rather larger than 1/2".

[Scholar Gypsy]

11 minutes ago, David Mack said:

But when the sizes were defined, pipe wall thicknesses were greater than they are now. So if you buy 1/2" bsp iron pipe today, the bore is rather larger than 1/2".

I'll let you know the answer, when I change the fitting, using my other calipers ....

[Tracy D'arth]

I did say steam pipe not mailable steel tube.  It is substantially thicker in the wall.

[BEngo]

Originally defined by  the BSP Standard but now, with identical 55 degree Whitworth thread form and dimensioned in SI units, the basis of the European G,  Rc (taper) and Rp pipe threads series.

 

N

[Iain_S]

11 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

 Is there a case for replacing with flexible hoses?  Many thanks for any thoughts.

I think, sometimes, yes.

I once saw a leaking calorifier where the leak was from where a coil was attached. When the attached pipe was disconnected, the leak stopped. All the plumbing was in copper, and I think the calorifier had dropped slightly, putting the heating coil connections under strain.

[Tracy D'arth]

The plastic pipe is already flexible.

[Scholar Gypsy]

6 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

The plastic pipe is already flexible.

Yes, and there was almost no vibration when the engine was running. The pipework is a mix of flexible hose,  then copper, then a little bit of plastic. 

[ditchcrawler]

I would say the pipe I have marked with a blue squiggle is slightly to long and is putting strain on the threaded end, I don't know whats on the other end but as the pipe gets hot it will get even longer .

[Scholar Gypsy]

5 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I would say the pipe I have marked with a blue squiggle is slightly to long and is putting strain on the threaded end, I don't know whats on the other end but as the pipe gets hot it will get even longer .

Yes, I thought that which was partly why I was minded to renew some of these parts. To be fair, they have lasted 29 years without any maintenance.

[magnetman]

Its the old Acorn fittings. I remember the brown ones from before that on one of my boats. Now called Hep2o. 

 

Speedfit and Osma etc have taken over rather and it is nice to have the option of manually dismantling the fitting. 

 

These Acorn ones are a bugger to get off without cutting the pipe shorter. 

[Scholar Gypsy]

10 hours ago, magnetman said:

Its the old Acorn fittings. I remember the brown ones from before that on one of my boats. Now called Hep2o. 

 

Speedfit and Osma etc have taken over rather and it is nice to have the option of manually dismantling the fitting. 

 

These Acorn ones are a bugger to get off without cutting the pipe shorter. 

Thanks, I have found an exact match. I usually find the metal bit comes off with a pair of pliers, without too much aggro or damage to the surface.